Vernon J. Kretz
Cedar Lake Soldier Hit by Sniper
A U.S. Army General Hospital, England - Wounded in the right hip by bullets from a German machine pistol while smashing the Nazi lines north of Coutances, Pfc. Vernon J. Kretz, 21, of Cedar Lake, is regaining his physical fitness at the rehabilitation center of a United States army general hospital in England."Pfc. Kretz is getting along fine and in a short time will be going back to duty," said Capt. Sidney Schieffer of San Antonio, Texas, rehabilitation officer.
Assistant gunner in a mortar squad of an armored infantry unit, Pfc. Kretz told of the fierce fighting that took place in the push south from the Normandy peninsula by the Allies.
"The Germans threw everything they had at us, but we broke thru," he said. "I was hit by a sniper as we moved up after the breakthrough.
"Almost immediately one of our medics came along, dressed my wounds and got me out of there. Those medical soldiers deserve a lot of credit."
Pfc. Kretz is the son of Mrs. Veronica Kretz of Cedar Lake and has a brother, Adam, a sergeant, in the air force in England. Before entering the army in March, 1943, he was a tank assembler for the Pullman Standard Co.
The following November 9, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
Vernon Kretz Gets Silver Star
The silver star, one of the highest awards given to battle soldiers, was pinned on the chest of Pfc. Vernon J. Kretz, son of Mrs. Veronica J. Kretz, rural route 1, Cedar Lake, recently in France.The official citation with the star reads: "This man (Kretz), acting as an ammunition carrier for a 60-mm. mortar squad was wounded by enemy artillery fire as his squad was advancing into enemy lines. When his squad leader called for ammunition he delivered it in spite of his wounds in time to bring fire upon the enemy positions.
"His unswerving loyalty, complete devotion to duty, was inspiration to his comrades and reflects great credit upon himself."
Return to Lowell Biographies.